Measuring apparatuses for measuring blood specimens, urine specimens, and the various shapes of particle specimens and the like are known as blood analyzers, urine analyzers, and particle analyzers. Since this type of measuring apparatus must process measurement data and manage measurement results and analysis results, a data processing apparatus configured by a computer on which is installed application programs used for such processing and data management is provided separately from the measuring apparatus, and the data processing apparatus is configured so as to process the measurement data and display and manage the measurement results (for example, refer to Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2003-202346).
The application programs are generally multi user type software programs, that have environmental settings for each user. The setting data are stored in a database, and are read by the CPU when the application program starts, such that the application program operates in accordance with the setting data. Setting parameter data and setting value data are associated and stored as data sets in the database. For example, in the case of [display units of the item HGB are g/dL], a data set is created in which the setting parameter data are [item=HGB], and the setting value data are [display units=g/dL]. In the case of the setting content [username “Admin” has data change authority], a data set is created in which the setting parameter data are [username=Admin], and setting value data are [data change authority=YES].
After the data sets are read from the database, the CPU develops a data tree. FIG. 42 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a data tree used by a conventional application program. As shown in FIG. 42, in conventional application programs, data trees t1 and t2 are established for each associated data set, and the respective data trees t1 and t2 store setting value data at leaf nodes, and store setting parameter data at intermediate nodes between a root node and the leaf nodes. Using the above example, a data tree t1 is constructed by the intermediate node [item=HGB] and leaf node [display units=g/dL] from the data set in which the setting parameter data are [item=HGB], and setting value data are [display units=g/dL]; and a data tree t2 is constructed by the intermediate node [username=Admin] and the leaf node [data change authority=YES] from the data set in which the setting parameter data are [username=Admin], and the setting value data are [data change authority=YES]. Thus, when an application program is executed and [item=HGB] is the setting parameter, the data tree t1 is searched from the root node, [display units=g/dL] is retrieved as setting value data, and [display units of the item HGB are g/dL] is set as the setting content. When [username=Admin] is the setting parameter, the data tree t2 is searched from the root node, [data change authority=YES] is retrieved as setting value data, and [username “Admin” has data change authority] is set as the setting content.
In such conventional application programs, the previously described tree structures must be greatly changed when the functions of the application program are changed by version upgrades and the like for the reasons described below.
An example in which the function [display units for each item are modifiable by each user] is added is described below. FIG. 43 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a data tree when a function is added to a conventional application program. Using the example, when the setting content is changed to [display units are “g/dL” for display item “HGB” of username “Admin”], a data set is created in which the setting parameters are [username=Admin] and [item=HGB], and the setting value data are [display units=g/dL]; when the setting content is changed to [display units are g/L for the display item [HGB] in [username=User1], a data set is created in which the setting parameters are [username=User1] and [item=HGB], and the setting value data are [display units=g/L]. In this case, since the setting parameter [username] is in both data sets, the [username] node is directly linked to the root node, and the [item] node and [data change authority] node are linked at lower levels, as shown in FIG. 43. Furthermore, the [display units] leaf node is linked at a tier below the [item] node. Thus, the data tree t1 and data tree t2 shown in FIG. 42 are merged to create a larger data tree t3.
When the setting functions of an application program are modified in this way, the change in the tree structure extends to the part of the setting function that were not changed (in the example, setting functions related to data modifying authority) in conjunction with the substantial changes to the tree structure of the setting values. Accordingly, in a design revision of the application program, it is necessary to change not only the parts of the application program related to the modified function settings, but also the parts related to the unmodified function settings. Thus, when a setting function is modified in conventional application programs, many development processes are necessary, which leads to the problem of increased development cost.